Puccini’s La bohème receives a contemporary makeover in the revival of this Olivier-nominated production.
Ralph and Mark are two struggling artists in modern-day London. They complain about Suella Braverman, the freezing temperatures due to their broken boiler (which the landlord will only fix once they have paid their rent), and faulty Amazon purchases. Ralph writes plays, Mark designs them. Unlike Puccini’s original, their poverty is by no means romanticised. It’s unpleasant, messy, and deplored by the pair. Mark is engaged in a volatile on-and-off relationship with the beguiling Musetta, and Ralph quickly discovers love by way of his neighbour, Mimi, who pops in one evening to request a lighter. What follows is a heart-breaking tragedy filled with anguish, love, addiction, and a foreboding exploration of the ills of the contemporary Western lifestyle.
La bohème offers an exalting examination of the issues that ail us in our modern existence. While still maintaining the artistic pulse of Puccini’s original, this production has clearly pushed the imagination to create a piece that embodies contemporary life. It feels wildly accessible – a wonderful feature for an opera, a style which has been historically perceived as out of reach for much of the population. For much of the art form’s history, opera, like Shakespeare, has felt only accessible for those in-the-know. Opera maintains a kind of mystique that is both intimidating and difficult to break into. By creating a production that is written in colloquial language, La bohème has subverted the relativity classist notions of this theatrical genre. The unnamed lyricist of this production has much to be commended on.
The performers are supported simply by two musicians: pianist and musical director Panaretos Kyriatzidis and cellist Alison Holford. Holford and Kyriatzidis wowed with their emotionally-charged performances, filling the space with a gusto that could easily be attributed to a larger ensemble.
Performances by Becca Marriott (Mimi), Thom Isherwood (Mark), Martins Smaukstelis (Ralph), and Valerie Wong (Musetta) were engaging and electric. Aside from their musical prowess, which is not to be underestimated, their emotional life was rife. Balancing challenging opera and high emotional stakes is not a small feat, and this cast achieved it with grace. Becca Marriott’s additional duties as director cannot be overlooked – her wise use of space and cultivation of an emotional arc are what tied the piece together.
La bohème is a production that is by every measure worth a watch. Young audience members would be wise to catch this piece at Arcola’s Grimeborn Opera Festival. There is truly seldom a better entry-point to the world of opera on offer.